Coins Quote by Ursula K. Le Guin
“The individual cannot bargain with the State. The State recognizes no coinage but power: and it issues the coins itself.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Dispossessed, 1974
Power dominates the state, rendering individual bargaining impossible; the state creates its own value system.
In simple terms: The state controls power, not money.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of personal influence.
Themes
power
state
individual
economics
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy advocacy
- personal finance
- legal negotiations
Key Concepts
political theory
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals affect state decisions?
- What alternatives exist to state‑issued value?
A Different Perspective
State power can be challenged through collective action.
![“Experience, however, shows that neither a state nor a bank ever have [sic] had the unrestricted power of issuing paper money without abusing that power; in all states, therefore, the issue of paper money ought to be under some check and control; and none seems so proper for that purpose as that of…” quote by David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/efc/david-ricardo-9461_all-state_experience-however-shows-that-neither-a_1285424.jpg)
